About the Dance
by Kanna-Ophelia
Summary: Ginny finds herself with a rather unexpected date for the next Hogwarts social event. Fluffy femmeslashy fairyfloss. Mostly GinnyCho, smatterings of NevilleJustin and HermioneRon. Probably never going going to be updated, given two books have passed and
1. Default Chapter

About the Dance (1/2) Peter Normal Peter 2 19 2001-11-03T11:30:00Z 2001-11-03T11:30:00Z 6 1884 10744 Trak Hire 89 21 13194 9.2720 0 0 

**About the Dance (1/2)**

**_Pairing_**_: Mostly Ginny/Cho, with some Neville/Justin and Ron/Hermione (sorta), plus unrequited Harry/Cho. I'm really covering all bases here…_

_Rating: PG. Because I'm not even sure Ginny is old enough to kiss open-mouthed yet…_

**Notes:**: Fair warning -  this is mostly femmeslashy, and also has slashy and heterosexual themes. So if you have problems with any of that, this is where you say ta-ta.   Finally, the characters and Hogwarts are only being borrowed, not mine.

For my sweet Floria… my muse. ABOUT THE DANCE 

"So, um, Hermione… about the dance…" 

Four pairs of amused, slightly malicious eyes fixed on a rather red-faced Ron.  For a moment, Hermione's were gleaming the most wickedly of all, but she dropped her lashes to hide their sparkle.  "Yes Ron?" she asked with airy innocence.

"You told me that if I wanted to go with you next time I should ask plenty in advance… so… doyouwannabemydate?" he finished with a rush.

"Why, Ron, what a surprise. I never would have imagined," Hermione began mock-gushingly.  But the helpless giggles from Neville and Ginny were too much for her, and she laughed too.  "Your manners still need work, but… I suppose so.  As you were the first to ask.  Just treat me better than you treated Padma, or you'll regret it," she added calmly.   She turned, suddenly. "And that goes for you too, Harry Potter. You both need to learn how to treat a date."

"What exactly did I do wrong? I took her, didn't I?" Ron demanded, and Harry opened his mouth to protest as well.  Unfortunately at that moment Harry's attention was deflected like a squash ball hitting the wall.

Ginny sighed to herself as Harry's gaze swung around to fix on Cho Chang, wandering into the library with a group of her Ravenclaw friends.  She had hoped a little, but… Oh, well, now she would have to watch Harry make a fool of himself over the Ravenclaw girl again.  It wasn't as though she wasn't used to it.

He had been hovering in Cho's wake lately, his green eyes bright with the desire to comfort her over the events of the Triwizard Cup.   It wasn't as if Ginny didn't understand how he felt, the aching desire to take away some of the beloved's pain and maybe, just maybe… She had cried herself to sleep at night over how tired and strained Harry had looked this term, and her own inability to comfort him. But at least Ginny had learned to tell where she wasn't wanted.

Apparently, Harry was still having difficulty with that.

"Cho!" Harry half-rose in his seat, and called softly to her.

The girl caught his gaze, hesitated for a moment, then said something to her friends.  She walked over to the table where the Gryffindor friends were sitting. Ginny's heart sank. It would be bad enough to sit at the table knowing Harry was asking someone else to the dance, but now it looked like she actually had to sit and listen to it.  She buried herself in her book, trying to block it out.  Through the top of her head, she felt Hermione and Neville shoot her sympathetic glances.  Ron was still too busy blustering at Hermione to notice his little sister was upset.

"Yes, Harry?" Cho looked drawn and exhausted, but she'd looked that way ever since coming back to school.  Her beautifully shaped eyes were just a little reddened, as if Ginny wasn't the only one crying herself to sleep.  She also seemed somewhat nervous and wary to Ginny, underneath her usual poise.  She ran a hand through her hair, uneasily lifting it and letting it settle on her shoulders again.  

Ginny's father had once brought a Muggle toy called a television home, with a mini-generator, to proudly display Muggle ingenuity to his family.  Of course, the twins had blown it up a few minutes later, claiming they were trying to convince the tiny flat people to talk to them – Ginny had her doubts – but in those few minutes, she had seen a shampoo advertisement.  Cho had thick, silky hair like the girls on the ad, hair that didn't hang limply like normal people's did.  It floated in a glistening cloud, and was so heavy it almost *flopped* back when she lifted it.   Ginny had never thought real girls had hair like that.  Her own red curls seemed coarse and dull in comparison.

"I was just wondering… if you didn't have a date… I know that, um, Cedric, well…  I mean, just as friends. For the dance, I mean."  Harry was stammering.  Ginny blushed for him.

Just for a second, Ginny thought Cho looked hunted, before her usual charming smile was back on her face.  "I'm sorry, Harry.  I really would love to, but I'm afraid I already have a date." Her smile sweetened still further, sugaring the blow.

"Again? Who with?" Ginny glared at her brother.  Hermione was right – he had no manners.

"With – " Ginny was sure that Cho's dark eyes flicked speculatively around the table. "With Ginny."

Ron choked, and even Hermione blinked. Cho rushed on, "In fact, that's why I was coming over, to make arrangements.  Right, Ginny?"

"Ginny asked you?" Harry gasped. He looked at Ginny with something which, for the first time, was tinged almost with awe, but also with a little resentment. Ginny felt like she had been accused of betraying him, and was glad when Cho shook her head.

"I asked her.  She hasn't said yes yet, but… well, shall we go talk about it?" Ginny, dazed, let the older girl pull her to her feet and guide her away.

From behind her, Ginny could hear Neville's voice pipe up, "Are we really allowed to do that? I mean, bring dates of the same sex…" Ginny could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. She chuckled, despite her shock and embarrassment, and Cho laughed with her.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," she said ruefully.  "I know I put you in a difficult position then.  It's just that I can't bring myself to be rude to Harry… not after what he's been through, and he seems very nice, really.  It's just that it's not really fair to encourage him, either."

Ginny was silent.  She didn't think she could say any of what she was really thinking; firstly, that she couldn't understand why anyone would want to turn Harry of all people down, and secondly, that she'd been on the receiving end of the gentle letdown often enough to know how much it actually hurt.  Poor Harry.  But then, a brutal letdown would be much, much worse, she supposed…

Cho picked up on her discomfort, and looked apologetic. "I know I just kind of sprang this on you.  You don't have to come with me, if you don't want to, you know.  If you have another date… That boy you went with last time?" She glanced back at Ginny's friends, who were watching the pair, open-mouthed.  Ginny found herself trying not to preen under the attention. It wasn't everyday a beautiful older girl swooped down and carried her off.  Actually, it was the first time it had ever happened.

She smiled suddenly. "I rather think he's now trying to work up the courage to ask out Justin Finch-Fletchley."

"Really?" Cho probably had no idea who Justin was, but she flashed her pretty smile anyway. Actually, Ginny was surprised the Ravenclaw Seeker even knew who _she_ was.  "Um, then… Hermione?" Cho asked delicately.

"Uh, no. I think Hermione is going with my brother. I don't think she likes girls that way. Actually, I'm not sure she likes boys that way either.  Ron's just her friend.  It's just… not important to her, you know?"  Ginny stumbled to a stop, horribly aware that Cho was going to laugh at her for being a stupid little girl, or say that everyone wanted _someone.  After all, Cho was obviously far more sophisticated than she was – it would never have occurred to Ginny to ask a girl to a dance.  _

But Cho merely nodded calmly, as if Ginny had confirmed something she already suspected, and said, "Some people are like that, you know, although you'd never know it by the way everyone else carries on.  So, Ginny…" Her smile deepened and she leaned closer. "Does this mean I have a date?"

Ginny panicked.  "I'll tell you soon, okay? Okay?" Her eyes pleaded with Cho to understand.

"Sure," Cho said calmly.  She waved as she went back to join her friends, leaving a very flustered girl to make her way back to her own group.

"Wow, Ginny," said Ron, in an impressed tone, then yelled as Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

Ginny ignored him, and reached for her quill. She needed help, urgently.

***  *  ***

_Dearest Percy, _

How are things at work? Please don't work too hard, try and remember to have some fun sometimes.

I want to ask your advice about something. I've got no one else to ask, really.   I still don't have a special friend in my own year, but Hermione makes sure I'm included with her and Harry and Ron.  And Neville too, sometimes.  Hermione's so kind, I'm so lucky to have her as a friend, Percy. And she's smart too, like you.  It's nice of her to take the time to look after me. But I'm not really close enough to her, or any of them, to ask them about this. Especially not Ron.

I miss having you here a lot.  You're my favourite brother, you know that?  You're the only one of our brothers who always listens, and who never teases me.  I miss you heaps.

The thing is, this girl asked me to the school dance. I don't know whether to say yes or not. She's nice, but I didn't even know she knew my name. And I think she just asked me to avoid having to go with someone else. I don't even know if she likes me, let alone _likes_ likes me.

But it's not as if anyone else has asked me.  I think Neville is going with someone else this year, so I can't rely on him. Just like me, to be asked by a boy who likes boys one year, and a girl the next.  Why don't straight boys ever pay me any attention?

Percy, I really don't know what to do. I don't think I've ever heard of girls going to the school dance together.  I don't want to be weird.  But I don't want to miss out on the dance, or be you-know-who's second choice.

Please send Hermes back with an answer as soon as you can, if you're not working too hard.  I mean, if you have the time.

I love you.

   _XXXXXXXXXXX OOOOOOOOOOOO Ginny_

*******

_Dear Ginny,_

It might be wrong to play favourites with siblings, but well… you've always been my favourite as well. What you said about the others teasing you goes for me, too, you know. I know the others don't mean any harm, but – you've always been so nice to me. I miss you too.

About your problem, though…

I think of course you should go! She must like you, or she would have chosen someone else to ask, even if she's trying to avoid someone.  And that she knows your name might mean something.  You need to show more confidence in yourself, Ginny- you're a very nice girl. As to whether she likes likes you, well, I wouldn't worry about that too much.  Just go to the dance and try to have fun. I know I'm not exactly at my best myself at these occasions, but I'm hoping you're growing up with a bit more social grace than I'm afraid I displayed.

About her being a girl… Well, I wasn't going to tell you this yet, but… I've been dating someone lately myself who is, actually, male. It's… rather serious.  Please don't tell the family yet, until I'm ready.  I'm just trying to say that I don't think it should make a difference if your date is a girl.

If you're nervous, maybe Neville is too. Perhaps you should suggest a double date.  It might draw less attention than both of you showing up as separate couples.  It's just a suggestion.

Take care, Ginny, and let me know how it goes.  I love you too.

_   Love,_

      Percy.

***  *  ***

_Darling  Percy, _

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I'm so glad you trusted me – I won't tell anyone, I promise.  And I want to hear all about him!

Thanks for your advice.  I'll talk to Cho and Neville today.

_::thousands of hugs and kisses::_

_      your loving sister,_

_               Ginny._

***  *  ***

Ginny was beginning to regret her decision, when she finally found Cho lounging on the shore of the lake with a few of her friends.  Cho always seemed to be surrounded by a group of girls, all, Ginny couldn't help noticing, as pretty as she was.  And all sixth years.

"Um, Cho?" The other girl smiled and rose to her feet, and Ginny said before she lost her courage, "I want to go with you. If you still want to. I mean, you don't have to."

"I'd love to," Cho said firmly.  "I'm really glad you're coming with me, Ginny."

"Coming where?" one of the girls sprawled on the grass asked.

Cho put an arm around Ginny's shoulders. "Ginny has done me the honour of agreeing to be my date for the dance." There was no defiance in her voice, only her usual perfect self-possession, but she did arch a delicate eyebrow. "Any problems?"

The girl looked at her for a moment, then shrugged and flopped back on the grass. "Fine by me."

"Good."  Cho smiled at Ginny.  "I'll pick you up at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, okay? And don't wear pink – I'm wearing scarlet."

Ginny gave her a terrified nod and smile, and ran for it.  She was sure she heard a feminine voice behind her ask Cho if she had gone utterly insane, but she would prefer not to hear.

She had enough doubts about her own sanity.

TBC 

Feedback gratefully accepted. :)


	2. Corsages

HP, "About the Dance," 2/3. Ginny/Cho  
  
Feedback to princesskanna@hotmail.com or cleffa@start.com.au  
  
AN: Okay. Looks like this is going to be three parts, not two. Still fluffy. ::giggle:: Feedback more than welcome.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Ginny turned slowly in front of the mirror. She had a new outfit for once - well, second-hand, but her mother had fixed it up beautifully. Ginny was treacherously glad she had outgrown last season's. And there were certain advantages to being the only girl in the family. Poor Ron. And she wore her mother's favourite brooch, a gold and emerald heirloom sent in response to a frantic owl.  
  
She wanted so much to look pretty for sophisticated, beautiful Cho, and this, simple though it was, would help. Her hair gleamed against the dusty mint velvet, and the skirt fell flatteringly against her hips, making her look taller. And it was just a little too tight against her bust.  
  
Ginny flushed, wondering why she cared if her bust was displayed to advantage. She was going to the dance with a girl, after all. She turned again, caught her own side view in the mirror, and froze.  
  
Oh, no, who did she think she was kidding? A tight bodice was not an asset at all. She pouted at her reflection, trying to hold back tears that would spoil her careful makeup. There was no avoiding the fact that the dress showed bulges in places that were less than alluring.  
  
Until very recently, Ginny had been as skinny and flat-chested as Ron. But she had hit her menses very late, and with the onset of bleeding, she had blossomed suddenly into curves. And kept right on blossoming. Fred and George had joked about flying elephants every time she used her broomstick, while Percy had kindly assured her it was only puppy fat and would soon melt away. Ginny had tried to believe him, but looking at her own mother, she had the suspicion that it was something a little more permanent.  
  
"Fat cow," she muttered at her reflection, and stuck her tongue out. It made her feel a little better. But oh, whatever was she doing dating someone like Cho? She'd feel like a troll next to a fairy princess. A very short troll.  
  
"Ginny." Hermione frowned at her. The older girl was getting ready in Ginny's dormitory, even more uncomfortable with Lavender and Parvarti than Ginny was with her own classmates. Ginny knew that, if she could, Hermione would sleep in the boys' dormitories with Ron and Harry, and never go near the other Gryffindor girls. Except Ginny. Of course Hermione liked Ginny. She pulled herself out of her paranoid haze.  
  
"I won't let you call yourself that. For a start, it's not true. And to finish with, who would care even if it was true?" She walked forward and slipped an arm around the younger girl's waist. "You're you, Ginny, and that's what people love about you, not some stupid Weight Watchers ideal."  
  
Ginny stared dully at their reflections together. Hermione had used a charm to smooth out her hair again, and delicate makeup on her ivory skin. She looked serious, intelligent, and in the full flush of one of her rare moments of beauty. At that moment, Ginny would have killed to look like her. and Hermione didn't even care much about her own appearance! Didn't she ever feel self-conscious about her looks?  
  
Ginny bit back her angry words, afraid of crying. "What's Weight Watchers?" she asked, instead.  
  
"Never mind." Hermione squeezed her waist. "Come on, let's finish getting ready. I wouldn't want to keep your dear brother waiting." They exchanged rueful grins. "And you really do look wonderful, Ginny."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Ginny sighed. But she did feel a little better. She gave Hermione a grateful hug.  
  
"Cheer up, honey. Your little friend is right - you look great," her mirror reassured her.  
  
Even after that, though, it took her a few moments to follow Hermione and Ron down the stairs. She could hear their happy voices, laughing and quarrelling as usual, ahead of her. Harry had already left, alone. Ginny felt a pang of guilty remorse - it seemed all wrong that the Boy Who Lived didn't have a date. But she sternly reminded herself of her resolution not to be second-best anymore, and, besides, lots of people went alone. She didn't even think Harry had bothered to ask anyone else after Cho had turned him down.  
  
And Cho wants to go with me, not him. She felt a stab of excitement and pride at the thought, and picked up her feet. Of course Percy was right - it would have been easy enough for Cho to get out of going with her if she hadn't wanted to.  
  
Cho was waiting at the feet of the stairs, talking to Justin, and Ginny caught her breath. Until that point, she had regarded Cho mostly as someone older and more popular than her; someone both confusing and kind, someone Harry wanted and had asked Ginny instead for reasons she still hadn't fully worked out. Cho's beauty had figured in all this, but only as something which made the current state of affairs still more confusing and intimidating. Something which made the divide between them seem even more impassable.  
  
Suddenly, Ginny saw Cho's beauty in a very different sense.  
  
The older girl's robes were scarlet, as she had said, but laced around with fabulous green and golden dragons, elaborate patterns in shining material. She was lovely enough not to be overwhelmed by her amazing clothes. Somehow, in the riot of colour, she seemed more delicate than ever. It was hard to remember she was a talented athlete - she looked as fragile and pretty as a porcelain doll.  
  
Ginny smiled timidly, suddenly too overcome to speak, suffering a sudden recursion to the days she'd hopelessly adored Harry from a distance. She waved at Justin, who flipped his fingers back and took a seat. Ginny couldn't help being struck by how well the two of them looked together. Cho was always so assured and graceful, and the Hufflepuff boy was undeniably handsome, with the confidence born of his Muggle family's privileged background and his own friendly nature. Ginny couldn't help thinking that the couples were arranged the wrong way - the golden people belonged together, while the plump awkward Gryffindors would be better off sticking to each other.  
  
Cho broke into her dismal thoughts, flashing her sweet, serene smile. "Hi Ginny. Look., I'm trying to be a good date," she added confidingly. "I brought a corsage and everything." She gestured vaguely at Ginny with a poinsettia, the same vibrant red as her robes, and suddenly giggled. "I hope it's the right thing to do. I've never taken a girl to a dance before."  
  
The sign that Cho actually suffered human uncertainty on occasion made Ginny feel better, and she gave a real smile as the Ravenclaw girl pinned the flower to her dress. "Me neither." She gathered her courage in both hands. "Um, why?"  
  
Cho shrugged. "I don't really know. This is the first time the person I wanted to go with was a girl." She seemed unconcerned, and Ginny remembered Percy's advice and relaxed. Cho stepped back and admired the way the flower flamed against the green velvet. "You look really pretty, Ginny."  
  
"You look beautiful too," Ginny said shyly, and then flushed. Cho hadn't said beautiful, she had only said pretty. But the other girl's face lit up with pleasure.  
  
"Shall we go?'  
  
Ginny hesitated, catching Justin's eye. She'd actually meant to talk to Cho about this, but approaching her in front of her dazzling friends had been just too intimidating. "We have to wait for Neville. I though. I thought maybe the four of us could go together."  
  
Cho didn't reply, and Ginny was sure that the other girl understood why she had wanted to go with the boys, and was a little disappointed in her. But at that moment Neville, late as usual, created a diversion by pounding down the stairs, tripping on the edge of his robes and landing square on Justin, who had risen to greet him.  
  
The boys went down in a tangle of arms and legs, and Cho burst into laughter, the awkward moment dispelled. "Are you two idiots okay?"  
  
"We're fine," Justin grinned, helping his blushing, apologising partner to his feet. "I don't object to Neville throwing himself into my arms." He reached down to straighten Neville's robes, his eyes soft with indulgent tenderness. Ginny had to look away, gripped by sudden embarrassment and envy. What would it be like to be looked at like that, for no reason other than making a fool of herself?  
  
She met Cho's understanding gaze. "Let's go, shall we?" she said softly.  
  
Ginny had to take a deep breath outside the doors to the Great Hall. She realised that any guilty half-hopes she had had that people would confuse whose dates were whose were hopeless. Neville was hanging adoringly off Justin's arm, chattering nineteen to the dozen, and Cho was clasping her own hand possessively.  
  
"Here we go," Justin said, his eyes bright with amusement. "Ladies first."  
  
They stepped forward in to the Great Hall, and Ginny had a moment of crippling self-consciousness - but the sky never fell on her. There were several curious glances sent the way of the two couples, but no one seemed to question that they were together. Maybe it was Cho and Justin's complete unselfconsciousness, but some people actually smiled at them before turning back to what they were doing.  
  
Ginny suddenly felt like flying. She impulsively pulled Cho by the hand over to one of the banks of flowers that took the gloom away from the storm- reflecting sky, almost running in her sudden exhilaration. She reached up and, uncaring of stares, pulled a handful of sweet-smelling blossoms from the display.  
  
"Ginny, what are you doing?" Cho gasped, laughing.  
  
"Fixing your corsage," Ginny explained, taking off her own brooch and attaching the flowers to Cho's breast.  
  
As the joyous impulse faded, she felt a moment of trepidation. Cho's outfit was so beautiful, and there was no question that the flowers Ginny had randomly selected, in various shades of pink, lavender and cream, clashed violently. And no one else wore such a cluster of blooms.  
  
She was about to apologise and remove them again, when she heard Cho say softly, "Thank you. You're so sweet." And the next thing she knew, soft lips brushed against hers.  
  
It was only brief second of contact, more sisterly affection than passion, but Ginny was suddenly afraid her legs would give out under her. She was dimly aware that more people were looking, now, but she suddenly didn't care at all. She flung her arms around Cho and hugged her tight, uncaring of the damage she was doing to both their corsages.  
  
Cho embraced her back, then pushed her gently away, smiling. Ginny noticed that while her own poinsettia was looking rather the worse for wear, the blossoms on Cho's breast were still fresh and uncrushed - enchanted, she guessed, to last the night out as Hall decorations.  
  
"Come on, Ginny. Let's dance."  
  
TBC 


End file.
